February 11, 2021 3:35 am
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) – Mackenzie Holmes scored 25 points, Grace Berger secured her third triple-double of the season and No. 15 Indiana beat Penn State 90-65. Berger had 17 points, 11 rebounds, and her 10th assist came with 2:35 remaining in the fourth quarter on a pass to Holmes in the lane. Berger has the program’s only three triple-doubles, including one against Penn State in January. Ali Patberg added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Aleksa Gulbe scored 15 for Indiana. Niya Beverley scored 16 points for Penn State. Maddie Burke added 13 points and Anna Camden 12.
February 11, 2021 3:36 am
DALLAS (AP) – Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has relented and the national anthem will be played before home games this season after the NBA reiterated its “longstanding league policy” to include the song. The league’s initial reaction to Cuban’s decision was to say teams were free to conduct pregame activities as they wished with the unusual circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic. Most teams don’t have fans at home games. But the NBA abruptly reversed course with Cuban’s decision reverberating around the country, including a question put to White House press secretary Jen Psaki during her daily briefing.
February 11, 2021 3:39 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Philadelphia Phillies and shortstop Didi Gregorius have finalized a two-year, $28 million contract. Gregorius batted .284 with 10 homers, 40 RBIs and an .827 OPS in 60 games in his first season with the Phillies. He hit .274 and averaged 20 homers and 75 RBIs over four seasons with the Yankees between 2015-18. The Phillies also agreed to minor league contracts with right-hander Brandon Kintzler and outfielder Matt Joyce, inviting both to spring training as non-roster players. In other MLB news, the Yankees have signed side-arming reliever Darren O’Day to a one-year deal that includes a mutual club option for 2022. O’Day was 4-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 16 1/3 innings over 19 games last year with Atlanta, striking out 22 and walking five while allowing eight hits.
February 11, 2021 3:37 am
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Hendrick Motorsports has swept the front row for the Daytona 500 with Alex Bowman and William Byron. Bowman posted a lap at 191.261 mph to earn Hendrick its sixth Daytona 500 pole in seven years. It’s the fourth consecutive year Bowman will start from the front row. William Byron made it a Hendrick sweep with a lap at 190.219 mph. Only the front row was set Wednesday night.
February 10, 2021 2:32 am
The fields have been reduced, the schedule compacted, all lingering effects of COVID-19. But the WPIAL Team Wrestling Tournaments continue Wednesday night. Following the Section Dual Meet Championships, the top two finishers have qualified for the WPIAL tourneys. Kiski Area, winner of Section 1-AAA, notified the WPIAL that they are pulling out of team matches, seeking to protect their wrestlers for the upcoming individual tournaments which start next week.
Waynesburg is the top seed in Triple-A, having steamrolled their way through the regular season. The Raiders get a first-round bye due to Kiski’s withdrawal and await the Thomas Jefferson/North Allegheny winner. Those matches will be wrestled at Canon-McMillan at the request of Waynesburg, so as to allow some fans to attend. #7 Peters Township will travel to #2 Seneca Valley, a match we’ll carry on WJPA-AM (1450) and online Wednesday at 5:50 pm.
Double-A has a six-team field headed by #1 Burrell and #2 Burgettstown, last year’s finalists. Both get byes in the quarterfinals round and are hosting. Burgettstown will meet the Beth-Center/Montour winner while Burrell awaits the Quaker Valley/Mt. Pleasant victor. Burrell has won 14 straight WPIAL Team Wrestling titles. We’ll have all the action from Burgettstown on WJPA-FM (95.3) and online beginning Wednesday at 5:50 pm.
The finals in both brackets are scheduled for Saturday at Canon-McMillan, Double-A at 12 noon, Triple-A at 2;30 pm.
Follow all the action of the 2021 WPIAL/PIAA Wrestling tournaments here.
February 10, 2021 2:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired former rival Ron Hextall as the team’s new general manager. Hextall played goaltender for 11 seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers and later served as the team’s general manager. Hextall replaces Hall of Famer Jim Rutherford, who resigned abruptly last month. The Penguins also hired longtime NHL executive Brian Burke as the team’s director of hockey operations. Patrik Allvin, who served as interim general manager following Rutherford’s departure, will stay on staff as assistant GM.
February 10, 2021 3:53 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Big Ten officials have decided to move next month’s men’s basketball tournament from Chicago to Indianapolis. Games will be played March 10-14 at Lucas Oil Stadium, which also will be the site of this year’s Final Four. The Big Ten women’s tournament will be held the same week just a few blocks away at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The conference says the moves were necessary for several reasons surrounding health and safety concerns because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 9, 2021 3:37 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers have hired longtime NFL assistant Mike Sullivan as their new quarterbacks coach. The move is one of three made by the team to fill coaching vacancies. Sullivan replaces Matt Canada, who was promoted to offensive coordinator last month. Sullivan is a 16-year NFL coaching veteran, winning two Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants. The team also hired Chris Morgan as assistant offensive line coach and Matt Tomsho as quality control coach.
February 9, 2021 3:40 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Fresh off their Super Bowl win, the Buccaneers are already looking at next season. Tom Brady’s coming back. So is Bruce Arians. But the challenge of attempting a repeat begins with trying to keep some key components together for next season. Brady threw three touchdowns passes on the way to claiming a record seventh NFL title with a 31-9 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs – two to Rob Gronkowski and one Antonio Brown. Both played on one-year contracts after being lured to Tampa Bay by Brady. Leonard Fournette ran for the team’s other TD. He also joined the Bucs on a one-year deal.
February 9, 2021 3:47 am
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Kansas has dropped out of The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time in 12 years. The Jayhawks’ record streak of 231 consecutive weeks ranked is over. Gonzaga and Baylor kept the top two spots, as they have all season, with the Bulldogs getting 55 of 63 first-place votes and the Bears getting the other eight. Michigan took advantage of Villanova’s loss at St. John’s to jump into the top three, Ohio State climbed three spots to No. 4 and the Wildcats rounded out the top 5. With Kansas and UCLA falling out, that leaves the AP Top 25 without the Jayhawks, Bruins and fellow bluebloods Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina for the first time since December 1961. It also means none of the 13 winningest Division I programs is ranked.
